Character Counts

*The intention of this newsletter compiled of some quoted information is to inform parents/caregivers about the Character Trait of the Month for December, HONESTY, and to highlight what students will be learning during our SEL lessons. Resources and at-home activities have also been compiled for parents throughout this newsletter. SEL lessons may vary depending on classroom needs and Teacher request.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) provides provides an array of benefits. Not only can it increase students’ academic achievement, but SEL activities can build students’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. All of these skills are important for students’ academic, social, and eventually, professional lives.

This month, Woburn Elementary School Adjustment Counselors will be teaching students about the importance of Honesty. We will have interactive discussions and will do a guided activity together. *Lessons and activities may vary from school to school*

.Honesty: Being honest is being open, sincere, straightforward, trustworthy and truthful. When people are honest, they can be relied on not to lie, cheat, or steal. ... It is being honest and sincere with others and yourself. You are a person of integrity when your words and actions match. You don't fool yourself into doing what you know is wrong.

Telling the truth is an important moral and ethical virtue that kids need to learn as early as possible. It is a value that will have a huge impact on their character development as they grow. Engage your child in activities to teach and reinforce the concept of honesty and emphasize why lying is wrong.

The word honesty comes from the Latin honestas, meaning "Honor receive from others, moral integrity and uprightness." Being honest means you avoid saying or doing things that might damage your integrity or stain your reputation. Even "little" lies or exaggerations take away from someone's ability to trust you. Honesty is more than just reporting facts. Honesty includes what you say but it also includes what you don't say. For example, if your mom asks, "Did you eat the cookies?'" You could accurately say "no" if you just ate one cookie. But that would be deceitful.

Honesty also includes your actions. For example, to cheat on a test is to pretend you know the answers when you really don't. Or to steal candy from a store is to act like you paid for it when you really didn't. Honesty is saying and doing what is true, not false.

Telling the truth even when its hard. Not adding extra details to a story to be more impressive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ggJ7_AoT3NavPPbuiJOx7n0xiPEpNROq/view?usp=sharing

1. Talk about real life examples of when someone was not being honest and what some of the impacts of not being honest can have on friends, family, etc

2. Role play situation that can come up at home or at school, discuss how the choices that were made led to different feelings or outcomes

3. Discuss what should be said “out loud” and what should be “kept in their head”, remind students that being honest does not mean they can be unkind.

4. Read aloud books that can start conversations about honesty…

Honesty Crafts (at home):

• Honesty rocks: Have kids paint rocks with words or images representing honesty. They can keep the rocks as a reminder of the importance of being truthful.

• Honesty tree: Create a paper tree on a wall, and let kids add leaves with acts of honesty written on them. As they share truthful moments, the tree “grows”.

• Honesty collage: Let kids cut out pictures, words, or phrases from magazines that represent honesty to them, and glue them onto a poster to create a visual representation of truthfulness

Honesty Activities:
- “Truth or Lie” is a simple game that helps kids really understand the basics of honesty. All you do is make a statement that they would be familiar with and then walk to the side of the line to represent if they think it’s the truth or the lie. Must need: a barrier to separate into two (one side being “Lie” and the other “Truth”). Here are some of my example:

• “I have purple hair.”

• “Your bedroom is upstairs.”

• “Dad drives a bus for work.”

• “We had lasagna for breakfast.”

• “I am shorter than your brother.”

1. How do you feel when someone lies to you?

2. How can telling one lie lead to more lies? How can this cause problems?

3. If someone lies or makes a mistake, what does the person need to do in order to make it right?

4. What is the opposite of honesty? (Being deceptive, lying, cheating, manipulating.) When is it tempting to cheat or lie about something?

Why is honesty important?

1. Honest people are trustworthy, respected and depended on by others.

2. It is the right thing to do. It feels good.

3. Telling the truth lets everyone know what happened and keeps the wrong person for being blamed for something they didn't do.

What are the consequences of dishonesty

1. Losing the trust and respect from others.

2. You need to tell more lies in order to cover up.

3. You may face punishmenet and embarrasment.

What are the qualities of an honest person?

1. Tells the truth, regardless of the consequence.

2. Admits when he or she is wrong.

3. Does not cheat or steel.

4. Does not exxagerate to make things seem different than they are.

5. Keeps promises and encourages others to be truthful.

1. The cashier charges you for two candy bars when you only bought three.

2. You find a $10 bill in the hallway at school or in the couch cushion at home.

3. A friend asks if he can copy your answers during a test.

4. You promised your mom and dad that you would clean your room but you watched tv instead.

5. You borrowed your friends scateboard and lost it.

6.At the store, you see one of your friends put something in her pocket wiithout paying for it.

7. You think noone will notice if you take two cookies from the tray when the sign says, One cookie per person."

8. The rule states that you must be 8 years old to play. Who will know that you are only 7 years old?

1. You are drawing with your friend. Accidentally, you snap their favorite pencil in half. Your friend didn't see it happen. What is the honest thing to do? Why?

2. You are walking in the hallway and see $20 on the floor. No one is around. What do you do? What is the honest thing to do?

3. You were supposed to take your dog for a walk, but you decided to watch TV instead. When your grown up gets home, they ask about your walk. What do you say? What is the honest thing to say?

4. Your teacher leaves the classroom for a minute. Your friend notices the answer sheet to your upcoming test on the teacher's desk and tells you to take a look so you have the answers. What do you do? What is the honest thing to do?

5. When you get to school, you realize you left your homework at home. Before you go into the classroom, your friend tells you to just copy their homework so you have something to turn in. What do you do? What's the honest thing to do?

After Hours Mental Health Emergency Contact Info:

If this communication is regarding a mental health emergency occurring before or after school hours (8:10am-2:55pm on school days) or on a weekend, holiday or school break, call 911, go to your nearest Emergency Room or Advocates Mobile Crisis Team.

Advocates Mobile Crisis Team: 1-800-640-5432

Other Mental Health Resources:

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24/7: call or text 988

Interface Mental Health Referal Service (non-emergency, 9am-5pm): 1-888-244-6843

https://mentalhealthcenterkids.com/blogs/articles/honesty-activities-for-kids

https://www.greatexpectations.org/resources/life-principles/honesty/resources-about-honesty/

https://www.babycenter.com/child/parenting-strategies/the-honest-child-how-to-teach-honesty-ages-6-to-8_67924